Drainage apparatus



July 14, 1964 H. T. DINKELKAMP 3,140,756

DRAINAGE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A .D/nke/A'amp July 14, 1964 H. T. DINKELKAMP 3,

DRAINAGE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lA/VEA/TOE Hen/y Z Z/nke/kamp United States Patent 3,140,756 DRAINAGE APPARATUS Henry T. Dinkelkamp, Mt. Prospect, Iil., assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, lil., a corporation of Virginia Fried Sept. 25, well, Ser. No. 140,559 8 Claims. (Cl. 184-45) This invention relates to oil or fluid drainage apparatus for crank cases, transmission enclosures, gear boxes and other similar devices having a drain opening, and more particularly, to apparatus of the type including a receiving vessel supported in general vertical alignment below the drain opening to collect drainage therefrom.

Present commercial drainage apparatus generally 1neludes a receiving vessel or funnel, a waste drum and appropriate interconnecting piping between the funnel and drum. The waste drum, piping and funnel are supported as a unit below the drain opening and can be either stationary or portable. The tunnel is moved to a catching position aligned below the drain opening and supported there either by telescopic or goose neck piping secured to the waste drum. The oil or fluid collected in the funnel is conveyed by gravity through the piping to the drum, thus requiring that the drum be lower than the funnel and thus the drain opening.

Both the stationary and portable systems have basic practical drawbacks since the drainage apparatus requires an appreciable amount of valuable supporting floor area. Also, the apparatus being located on the floor is more susceptible to damage.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide oil or fluid drainage apparatus for a device of the type described which requires substantially no supporting floor area below the device.

A particular feature of this invention is drainage apparatus having a catching vessel supported directly and solely from the device.

Another feature of this invention is drainage apparatus having a receiving funnel, a waste drum, a suction pump and an interconnecting hose means between the funnel, drum and pump operable to communicate fluid collected in the funnel to the drum independently of the relative heights thereof.

These and other objects and features will be more fully appreciated upon a perusal of the following specification which includes the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the subject invention in a typical operative arrangement draining an automotive vehicle;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a portion of the apparatus as seen from lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the receiving vessel as shown generally from lines 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view partly in section from lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, atypical garage automotive hoist ltl shown in phantom supports an automotive vehicle 12. The vehicle 12 includes an internal combustion engine 14 having at its lower portion an oil pan 16 having therein an oil drain opening 18 (FIG. 2).

A receiving funnel or vessel 20 is supported from the engine 14 by means of a hook assembly 22 insertable into oil drain opening 18. The oil receiving vessel 20 communicates through hose 24 and conduit 25 to suction pump 26 powered by electric motor 28. The pump 26 is connected by appropriate piping 30 to a waste oil drum 31 conveniently located at some remote place in the garage. When not in use, the hose 2.2 is withdrawn on reel 32 to an out-of-the-Way retracted position as shown in phantom in FIG. 1.

Latch 34 on the cup is supported by mating receiving eyelet 36 on hose 24 at the appropriate location. A limit switch 37 mounted adjacent the reel 32 is actauted by rotary movement of lever 37a adapted to ride on the hose 24 as it is carried on the reel. The limit switch 37 is adjusted to start the operation of motor 26 and thus the pump 28 automatically upon unreeling of the hose from the reel. The pump 26, motor 28, reel 32, conduit and piping are all supported by angle structure 38 suspended from the ceiling (not shown) of the garage above both the garage floor (not shown) and engine 14.

The operation of the oil drainage apparatus can be readily understood. The oil is discharged from the oil drain opening 18 of the engine to the oil receiving vessel 20 supported solely from the engine by hook assembly 22. The suction pump 26 creates a partial vacuum in interconnecting hose 24 to draw the collected oil in vessel 20 through the hose to the pump. The oil is then discharged through piping St) to the waste oil drum 31.

The attractiveness of this type oil drainage system is at once readily appreciated since all of the associated apparatus is located above valuable often used floor area of the garage proximate the hoist 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the oil receiving vessel 29 includes a funnehshaped bowl 4% having a large open upper portion 42 which converges to a smaller flanged opening 44 at its lower portion. A hollow handle 45 is disposed annularly of the opening 44 and secured to the bowl 440 by appropriate bolts 47 threaded into pivot structure 48 located within the bowl 40. A screen assembly 49 secured beneath the pivot structure 58 prevents a passage of large objects through the opening 44 and subsequently to the hose 24 and pump 26.

A hose coupling 5% sealed Within the handle 46 by annular gasket 52 has appropirate connection to the flexible hose 2 5-. The hose coupling 59 is held within the cup handle by direct abutment with washer 54 secured in place by spring washer 56 received within a recess of handle 46. A rubber check valve 58 is received over the flanged opening 44 and consists of a hollow flexible tube preshaped to a flat normally closed check 59. The weight of the oil in vessel 26 is sufiicient to open the flattened check 59 for through flow while any reverse flow of the oil in handle 46 closes the check 59.

The hook assembly 22 includes a spring steel wire 60 shaped to an intermediate helical portion 62 and scissor arms 64 eXtending therefrom and terminating in hooks 66. A pin 6? secured to the pivot structure 48 pivotally mounts the spring at helix 62. Spring retainer 65 on the free end of the pin 67 holds the spring fill on the pin against the structure 43. The scissor arms 64 are biased by helix 62 to cause the hooks 66 to become misaligned (as shown in FIG. 4) in the expanded configuration.

An actuating arm 68 is keyed to shaft 70 mounted rotatably in pivot structure 4-8 and extending through the side Wall of bowl 443. Appropriate gasket means including an O-ring gasket '71, a slip washer 72 and a spring 74 interposed between washer 72 and pivot structure 43 seals the bowl 40 to prevent leakage of oil therefrom. A retainer plate 76 is secured by bolts 78 to the pivot structure 48, the bolts 78 additionally being received in recess 80 of shaft 70 to restrict axial movement of the shaft.

' A flattened portion or cam 82 at the inner end of shaft 79 is between the scissor arms 64 aligned beneath the retainer plate 76. The retainer plate 76 has a slot 84 elongated in the direction of movement of the spring arms e4 which receives the arms to limit the movement thereof. The cam 32 is operable upon rotation of the shaft 79 to bias the scissor arms 64 against the retainer plate 76 at the ends of slot 84, as can be seen in phantom in FIG. 4. In this position the hooks 66 at the free ends of the scissor arms 64 coincide with one another to present a smooth outside contour for easy insertion into drain opening 18 (FIG. 2). Rotation of the actuating arm 68 releases the cam 82 from the arms 64 to permit expansion of the helical portion 62. The scissor arms 64 thereby move outwardly adaptable to engage the periphery of the oil opening 1%.

In a typical operation of the subject invention and after the vehicle is raised on the hoist it), the garage Serviceman Withdraws the receiving vessel 20 and hose 24 from the reel 32 which causes limit switch 37 to start the suction pump 26. The hook assembly 22 on the receiving cup 20 is placed in the unlocking position as shown in phantom in FIG. 4. Holding the receiving vessel Ztl in general vertical alignment below drain opening 13, the servicernan will loosen the drain plug (not shown) from the vehicle engine 14. The drain plug is allowed to fall into the receiving vessel at which time the oil will also flow into the vessel. After the initial surge, the Serviceman can conveniently insert the hook ends of spring arms 64 into the oil drain opening 18 and rotate the actuating arm 6% to release the arms. The expanded hook assembly 22 will engage the periphery of the oil drain opening 13 to support from the engine the oil receiving vessel 2% to collect the balance of the draining oil. After the engine is drained the handle 68 is rotated to expand the hook assembly 22, whereupon upward movement of the vessel 20 disengages the hooks 66 from the opening 18. The oil receiving vessel 20 can then be returned to its inoperative position supported by latch 34 on the reel 32 which also automatically stops the pump 26.

Thus, it is obvious that with the oil drainage apparatus, as shown in this invention, the oil can be drained from a vehicle engine Without any apparatus supporting structure located on the garage floor below the vehicle. Furthermore, since the suction pump supplies the moving power for the drained oil, the waste oil drum can be located at any remote location. The versatility of this invention both as to simplicity of apparatus and to increased available floor area is readily shown.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made in the subject invention without departing from the teaching thereof. Similarly the subject invention can be eflfectively used on transmission enclosures, gear boxes, presses, or other fluid confining devices. Accordingly, it is desired that the invention be limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Fluid drainage apparatus for a device of the class described having a fluid drain opening, comprising in combination, support structure elevated above said device, a suction pump secured to said support structure, a fluid receiving funnel supported from the device in a fluid collecting position in general vertical alignment below said drain opening, hose means interconnecting the funnel and suction pump operable to communicate fluid from the former to the latter, a hose reel supported proximate the pump by said support structure and operable to receive at least a portion of said hose means to a hose retracted position, and pump control means actuated by said portion of the hose means on said reel operative to actuate said pump upon withdrawal of said hose means from said position.

2. Fluid drainage apparatus for a device of the type described having a fluid drain opening therein, comprising in combination, a fluid receiving funnel, hook means supported by the funnel and including at least two separate arms projecting toward the upper end thereof, means to actuate the separate arms of the hook means relative to one another between a locking and an unlocking position, said separate arms of the hook means being adapted in the unlocking position to be received into the drain opening and being operable in the locking position to suspend the funnel from the device in a fluid catching position in general vertical alignment below the drain opening, support structure elevated above the device, a suction pump supported by the support structure, a waste drum disposed remote of the funnel and the suction pump, and fluid conveying means interconnecting the funnel, pump and drum operable to communicate fluid collected in said tunnel to said drum.

3. Fluid drainage apparatus for a device of the type described having a fluid drain opening therein, comprising in combination, a fluid receiving funnel, hook means supported by the funnel and including separate arms movable relative to one another, said hook means being adapted to be received into the drain opening in one relative position of the arms and to hook onto a portion of the periphery thereof in a second relative position of the arms to suspend the funnel from the device in a fluid catching position in general vertical alignment below said opening, a suction pump, a Waste drum, and fluid conveying means interconnecting the funnel, the pump and the drum operable to convey fiuid collected in said funnel to said drum.

4. Fluid drainage apparatus for a device of the type described having a fluid drain opening therein, comprising a generally cup-shaped fluid receiving vessel having side walls terminating at an open upper end, a support member secured to said vessel and having separated free ends projecting toward the open end and being movable relative to one another, and a hook on each of said free ends adapted to be inserted into and past said drain opening in one relative position of the free ends and to lock with an interior portion of the device proximate the periphery of the opening in the second relative position of the free ends, whereby said support member supports the receiving vessel solely from the device in a fluid catching position with the open end in general vertical alignment below the drain opening.

5. Fluid drainage apparatus for a device of the type described having a fluid drain opening therein, comprising a generally cup-shaped fluid receiving vessel having structure including side walls terminating at an open upper end, a spring member supported by said vessel structure and having spaced arms projecting therefrom toward the open end, hooks on the free ends of said arms, said hooks being adapted to fit into said drain opening in a contracted position of said spring member and being adapted to lock with the device proximate the periphery of the drain opening in an expanded position of said spring member, said spring member being operable to support the receiving vessel from the device in a fluid catching position with the open end in general vertical alignment below the drain opening, and means including a lever having a cam secured thereto abuttable with the spring member for actuating said spring member between said positions.

6. Oil drainage apparatus for a device of the type described having an oil drain opening therein, comprising a generally cup-shaped oil receiving vessel having side walls terminating at an open upper end, pivot support structure secured to the vessel, spaced arms supported by said pivot structure and projecting therefrom toward the open end, said arms being movable between two opera tive positions and spring biased to one of said operative positions, hooks on the free ends of said arms, said hooks being adapted to fit into said oil drain opening in the other of said operative positions of said arms and being adapted to lock with the device proximate the periphery of the oil drain opening in said one position, said spaced arms being operable to support the oil receiving vessel directly and solely from the device in an oil catching position with the open end in general vertical alignment below the oil drain opening, a lever operatively supported by said pivot structure, and means including the lever and a cam associated therewith abuttable with said arms for actuating said arms between said position.

7. Fluid drainage apparatus for a device or" the type described having a fluid drain opening therein, comprising in combination, support structure disposed remote of the device, a suction pump supported on the structure, a fluid receiving funnel adapted to be supported by the device in a fluid catching position in general vertical alignment below the drain opening, a waste drum disposed at a location remote from and independent of the device and the suction pump, a hose interconnecting the funnel and the inlet of the suction pump, conveying means interconnecting the outlet of the suction pump and the waste drum operable to communicate fluid collected in the funnel to the drum upon operation of the pump, a hose reel secured to the structure adapted to retract at least a portion of the hose, and latch structures on said funnel and said hose connectable to one another to support said funnel in an inoperative position remote from the device.

8. Oil drainage apparatus for an automobile vehicle having at least one device of the type described including an oil drain opening therein, comprising in combination,

support structure elevated above said device with suf- 2O hose means interconnecting the funnel and the inlet of the suction pump, conveying means interconnecting the outlet of the suction pump and the drum operable to communicate oil from the funnel to the drum, a hose reel supported proximate the pump by said support structure operable to receive at least a portion of said hose means to withdraw said hose means to a hose retracted position, interlocking latch structures on said funnel and hose means operable to connect the former to the latter in said hose retracted position to support the remaining hose means and funnel at an elevation sufficient to permit movement of the vehicle therebeneath, and pump control means actuated by said hose means on said reel operable to actuate said pump automatically upon withdrawal of said hose means from said hose retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 296,820 Braun Apr. 15, 1884 2,479,139 Seigel Aug. 6, 1949 2,531,765 Burress Nov. 28, 1950 2,554,389 Stevens May 22, 1951 2,603,312 Tabet July 15, 1952 

7. FLUID DRAINAGE APPARATUS FOR A DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED HAVING A FLUID DRAIN OPENING THEREIN, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT STRUCTURE DISPOSED REMOTE OF THE DEVICE, A SUCTION PUMP SUPPORTED ON THE STRUCTURE, A FLUID RECEIVING FUNNEL ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE DEVICE IN A FLUID CATCHING POSITION IN GENERAL VERTICAL ALIGNMENT BELOW THE DRAIN OPENING, A WASTE DRUM DISPOSED AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM AND INDEPENDENT OF THE DEVICE AND THE SUCTION PUMP, A HOSE INTERCONNECTING THE FUNNEL AND THE INLET OF THE SUCTION PUMP, CONVEYING MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE OUTLET OF THE SUCTION PUMP AND THE WASTE DRUM OPERABLE TO COMMUNICATE FLUID COLLECTED IN THE FUNNEL TO 